Miniguide Higher Learning

Part 1: How it started

The modern Korean American tiger mom’s guide to determining your child’s Destiny, or at least trying too!

I think I have mentioned many times before about my mother. I was raised by Korean woman who came to America and her job became all about getting her kids to the next level. Not sure if I mentioned her reluctance to learn English. A big part and I get this now, is that she hung out with only her Korean friends. So her reading and spelling was always off, but I have no reason to laugh because my reading Korean is just as bad. Surprisingly the one thing my mom knew how to read perfectly was the 100 best colleges in America by Newsweek.

All immigrants unite!

Now, if you’re Asian you understand what I’m talking. I don’t think regular Americans understand this definitely not my husband’s side of the family. It’s like the differences of shopping a fashion designer’s RTW, Bridge and Sport lines (another conversation for another day). All universities are not equal, and should be treated as such.

Higher learning confusion

There are all kinds of higher learning institutions in the US. We have colleges and universities, and they are basically the same thing. It’s where one goes for a degree after high school. There are institutions that are private then those that are public. This is terminology is very different from what these schools are referred to in England. We also have state university and the university of the state. The confusion never ends so let me tell you the secret of how Korean immigrant minds work.

Acceptable Schools

  • Best schools 1-50 in the rankings
  • Other Acceptable schools- 50-100 in rankings
  • Other accepts institutions:
  • Military affiliated institutions (its free so also means very hard to get into)
  • Art Schools (Ex. Cooper Union, RISD, Parsons)
  • The State you live in the State Universities ranked in top 150 schools, usually these schools tend to be on the coast versus inland